Life's Endeavours
by mystic roses
Summary: [Alternate Universe]- What if Rory had an older sister who was a complete opposite from her? What if that sister apparently had everything... including Tristan? - [Trory and JavaJunkie] - Sorry for the 11 month wait!
1. As Good As It

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REVISED CHAPTER

* * *

Answer to **Trory Addiction** challenge by _sweetchiqita_

**Summary:** What if Lorelai and Chris did get married and everything went to plan but this time, when they have their first child, it isn't Rory, but another girl. Rory ends up being their second child. As the two girls get older, they both develop into complete opposites. Tristan comes into the picture as the boyfriend of Rory's older sister and Rory can't help but fall for him and detest him at the same time.

**Requirements:**

- Rory's older sister has to be two years older than Rory

- Tristan must have all his traits in tact

- Tristan and Rory's older sister have to be seniors while Rory is a sophomore

- Don't make Rory's sister a total bitch; she has to have some sort of edge.

**Disclaimer:** We do not own Gilmore Girls, nor do we intend to, but we do own any original characters.

**Feedback:** We appreciate any constructive criticism you have to offer.

**Pairing:** Trory and a mystery couple.

**Rating:** PG-13 but it may reach R in future chapters.

* * * *

**Life's Endeavours**

**Chapter 1: As Good As It's Gonna Get**

_By: Mystic Roses_

Rory lay on the bed staring across the room at the reflection of a beautiful girl in the mirror. The flawless skin, the silky chestnut hair and the piercing green eyes. Rory sighed and under her breath she mumbled, "How I wish I could look like that."

"Did you say something Rory?" Elizabeth asked midway through another application of lip-gloss, not taking her eyes off the mirror.

"Oh nothing."

Elizabeth shot Rory an inquisitive look but dismissed it to concentrate on her make up. Rory left her older sister's room, forgetting why she came in the first place. She walked down a short flight of stairs, heading to the second floor where her room is situated. She entered the room, walked up to the vanity mirror, and contemplated on the girl that stood before her. 

"This is as good as it's gonna get," she uttered to no one in particular.

While caught up in her contemplation, Rory heard a knock on her door. It was Eleanor, the head maid of the house, informing her of dinner.

Rory turned and smiled, "I'll be right there."

* * *

**Gilmore Dining Table**

"But mum, you can't make me! What about Lane? Haven't you always said that the most important thing in life is your friends?"

"Uhh... No... I recall I said _coffee_ was."

"But coffee _is_ a friend isn't it?" Rory tried to twist her mother's words to her advantage.

Lorelai looked at Rory weirdly. 

"Alright then! One point for you! But my argument about Lane is equivalent to five points so I win!"

"Oh but I can make you o' daughter of mine. Haven't you always said that your dream is getting into Harvard? Chilton is a sacrifice you're going to have to make. It's a crucial stepping stone."

"But they have a weird uniform..." Rory pouted.

"I think the uniform is fine, thank you very much. With some alterations like a hemmed up skirt and two buttons off the blouse..."

Lorelai and Rory finally realised there was someone else sitting at the table.

"And another minor adjustment is getting rid of those stupid blazers. They're puffy and big and ruin the whole outfit."

Rory and Lorelai looked at Elizabeth, looked at each other and then continued their original conversation, ignoring everything Elizabeth had just said.

"How can you make a life altering decision for me when you can't even choose between mint choc chip ice cream or just plain choc chip."

"I'll have you know that there is a big difference between the two. Though it doesn't seem like it by name, _there is_."

Another witty remark was about to escape the tip of Rory's tongue when suddenly Eleanor interrupted, saying, "Lorelai, Mr. Hayden is on the phone for you."

Instantly the two siblings looked at each other, knowing what was about to come, for it wasn't the first time.

Lorelai politely walked to a nearby room to the phone and then harsh words were exchanged between her and Christopher. Rory and Liz were left sitting, eyes downcast on their food, not bothering to utter a word, for words weren't needed. They already knew what was being said in the next room.

Lorelai hung up the phone and tensely walked back to the dinner table.

"Your father cant--"

"Yes mom, we know, father can't make it again tonight."

This seemed like a regular routine. Something that happened seven o'clock most nights, though there was the rare occasion that he made it to dinner. There was an awkward silence, then Rory suddenly remembered their previous conversation and quickly resumed.

"But mom, what about the coffee? How can you visit Luke if you're not picking me up from school anymore?"

"What makes you think I'm going to give up going to Luke's just because you're going to Chilton?"

"Well besides the fact that Stars Hollow is a whole half hour away from Hartford... I _really_ don't know, mom."

"Rory, Luke is my best friend and--"

"Ha! More like Luke's coffee is your best friend!" said Rory, knowing it wasn't true.

Lorelai ignored Rory's comment and quickly said, "You're going to Chilton on the upcoming Monday and that's the end of this discussion."

Defeated, Rory slumped back in her chair and resumed eating, mumbling incoherently about many ways to kill her mother...

* * *

**Rory's Room, Midnight**

_Creak... Creak..._

Rory woke up to the creaking sound and immediately knew who it was. She headed for her window and opened it. She looked to find her sister struggling up a rickety wooden ladder in 3-inch stilettos. Rory, with a grin on her face, had en evil thought in mind: leaving her sister to climb Mt Everest alone. She then reluctantly conceded, "This is my sister."

Rory held out her hand and Liz grabbed it with all her might, almost pulling Rory down in the process. Rory, obviously worn out, pulled her sister, and if not for the ledge, Rory might've fallen out her own window. Liz removed her stilettos, breathed a sigh of relief and headed to her room, not even bothering to say thank you. 

_Ahem,_ Rory coughed, waiting for her thank you.

It never came.

Frustrated she didn't get answer, Rory resorted to asking for it. "Liz, aren't you forgetting something?"

Liz checked her bag and pockets and replied, "Umm... No Rory, I've got everything."

"Ooh..." Liz slapped her palm on her forehead as if she just figured it out. "Sorry I can't believe I nearly forgot. I've got to tell you about my date."

"But..." said Rory, trying to get a word in.

"I know that you're probably thinking that he is like all those other _losers_ I've dated, but he isn't. I've made up my mind. I so sure that Tristan. Is. The. One."

"I'm sorry to break it to you but that's what you said about Mike five months ago, before Tristan came along."

"But Rory! Tristan is different. He turned me into a one-man-girl. I've got to admit, in the beginning of the relationship, I was cheating on him but everything changed when he showed me something tonight."

"Let me guess, he showed you his wallet?" Rory chuckled, amused at her own joke.

"No silly! He showed me his secret hideaway. It was this beautiful gazebo in this small town. Ooh ooh and for the first time since we've been going out.. _I didn't make out with him_."

Rory falsely gasped with her hands cupping her mouth, "_No_ way!"

"Oooh yes way!" said Liz, not catching on to the sarcasm in Rory's voice. "He was just so sweet. Taking all that time to make our five month anniversary special. Throughout the whole relationship I've taken him for granted, but not anymore! I pledge that from now on he'll be my only guy!"

Liz then babbled on with her story, leaving Rory to conceal her laughter while still looking interested. 

"...Well that's about it, Rory. But 'til our next update, goodnight."

As Liz walked out the door, Rory suddenly remembered and cried out, "Where's my thank you?"

Rory dismissed the thought and decided to head back to bed, intending to go to sleep. But after half an hour, she was still stared at her ceiling and realised that for the last thirty minutes all she could think about was Chilton.

After making a mental pros and cons list, she arrived at the conclusion that Chilton wouldn't be so bad as long as the lockers don't play up (like in Stars Hollow High) and that there was a quiet place for reading. It would be almost _perfect_ if she could get through the day without coming across the type of people she disliked the most: cocky jerks. Happy with her list, Rory dozed off to sleep with words echoing in her ears.

"Bring it on, Chilton!"

-- chapter finis

**Author's Note: **OK there are probably a lot of unanswered questions here like how Luke and Lorelai are best friends and all but it should be explained in the near future... oh and to all you Trory lovers out there, Tristan will be appearing very soon, like next chapter kinda soon... :p

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REVISED CHAPTER

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	2. Chilton Fiasco

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REVISED CHAPTER

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**Disclaimer:** We do not own Gilmore Girls, nor do we intend to, but we do own any original characters.

**Rating:** PG-13 though may go as high as R in future chapters.

**Feedback:** We appreciate any constructive criticism you have to offer.

**Pairing:** Trory and a mystery couple.

* * * *

**Life's Endeavours**

**Chapter 2: Chilton Fiasco**

_By: Mystic Roses_

"So why are we going to Stars Hollow again?" questioned Rory, paying close attention to the time. "You know it's already eight o'clock and I do have to go to Chilton tomorrow."

"But eight o'clock isn't even late," argued Lorelai.

"Well, knowing you we'd probably be back home early tomorrow morning."

"Will not!"

"Will to!"

"Will not!"

"Why didn't you take Liz? She'd love to have this excuse for being late to school."

Lorelai took her eyes off the road to give Rory a blank look, "Do you even have to ask?"

"Point taken."

Silence fell upon them, which Rory immediately broke by saying, "You never answered my question."

"Oh _right_, Luke's birthday is coming up and Stars Hollow is holding another one of their famous birthday bashes," said Lorelai, complete with a cheerful expression.

"And you couldn't tell me this before because...?"

"Well I thought you'd be up for any excuse to see Lane."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

They reached Stars Hollow and went their separate ways- Lorelai to the town party meeting and Rory to Lane's house.

* * *

**Two Hours Later**

"Do you think the town meeting would be over by now?" Rory asked, getting up off a comfy cushion is Lane's hidden room.

Realising Lane couldn't hear her, she gently removed Lane's earphones and repeated her question.

Lane answered, "Yeah, I think it would've been over half an hour ago."

"_Damn_, I think I better find my mom. I blame it all on you and your infectious eighties music."

"Well, what can I say?"

With that, they said their goodbyes and Rory headed off to the town hall. Arriving to an empty building, she sighed.

_If I were Lorelai, where would I be right now?_

An imaginary light bulb shone on Rory's head and she instinctively headed for Luke's diner.

On her way to Luke's, she took in the beautiful surroundings. Any other time she was at Stars Hollow, she would usually go to her special place, _ the town gazebo_ and get comfy reading her favorite book. But not today! Her mission was to find her mom, get back home and at least get four hours sleep.

A few metres from Luke's diner, she could see her mom begging for another cup of coffee and she could already see Luke giving in to her advances but was stopped in his tracks when Lorelai accidentally bumped a plate off the table. Luke immediately ran to the other side to pick up the pieces but Lorelai was already there. They looked into each other's eyes for a brief moment which seemed like forever but Lorelai averted her eyes to the broken plate pieces, pretending nothing happened. But it was too late, a blush was already creeping up her cheeks. Luke looked out the diner window and spotted Rory.

She took that as her cue to come in.

* * *

**Hayden Car**

"So how was the town meeting?" asked a half-asleep Rory.

"Oh the usual. Taylor and Kirk had another of their infamous fights that seemed to last half the meeting. Though, mind you, if Luke was involved..." Lorelai smiled at the thought of him. "...it would've lasted the whole meeting."

Rory tried to smile but she didn't have the strength to, but somehow she had the strength to ask one last question.

"Mom, were you ever involved with Luke?"

It came out as a whisper but it was audible enough for Lorelai to hear. She then took her eyes off the road for a look at her daughter and whispered, "Just sleep, Rory... Just sleep_._"

* * *

**7:45am Monday Morning**

Rory lay innocently in bed when Eleanor suddenly opened the her bedroom window, letting the sun abruptly wake Rory up.

"Get up Rory. You have to get ready for school."

Rory slowly opened her eyes and lethargically asked, "Eleanor, what's the time?"

"It's nearly eight, Rory. You better hurry up, your mother is nearly ready to drop you off."

With that, Rory's eyes shot open, fully awake and hurriedly changed into her neatly pressed Chilton uniform. She ran down the stairs, grabbed a pop tart from the kitchen table and sprinted to her car to find her mom applying some make up and Liz chewing on some bubblegum in the backseat, obviously pissed off.

Rory hastily got in the car and, out of breath, she cried, "Go! Go! Go! We're going to be late!"

"Aye, aye sir," joked Lorelai and started up the car.

"It took you a while," said Liz in a pissed off voice.

"Well, if somebody _bothered_ to wake me up, we'd be there already."

Lorelai interjected, saying, "Enough girls, you're either going to be polite to each other or not say anything at all."

"Who are you and what have you done with my mother?" Rory asked, baffled.

"Sorry but I'm playing the strict mother card today."

"I liked you better before," Liz mumbled to herself.

Lorelai seemingly took the wrong route and Liz whined, "_Hello_? Mom, this isn't the way to Chilton."

"We're taking a slight detour, my child."

Lorelai pulled up at the Starbucks nearby Chilton and quickly ordered.

"Two coffees to go please."

Liz coughed purposely.

"Oh and a lite vanilla latte."

They then headed off to Chilton at full speed.

* * *

**Chilton**

Getting out of the car, Liz closed the door behind her and looked at her reflection through the car window. Satisfied, she walked off by herself but it wasn't too long till she was surrounded by her cronies. That left Lorelai and Rory staring in awe at the humungous school; their coffees in hand. Rory snapped out of it, strategically placed her coffee in her bag (to avoid significant damage if any spillage was to occur) and followed her mother to the administration office, where they were met with a staunch looking woman in a gray outfit that matched her hair. 

"Hi I'm Lorelai Hayden and this is my daughter Lorelai Hayden, you can call her Rory. She's new to this school." 

"You wouldn't happen to be Liz Hayden's sister would you?" 

Rory smiled, thinking it was good thing, and replied, "Yes I am." 

The administration lady gave her a frown which left Rory to think: _What sort of reputation does Liz have here anyway? _

Cutting Rory from her thoughts the lady said, "Ok. Here's your locker number, your timetable, the Chilton Code and Rory you'll have to fill in these papers." 

Lorelai kissed Rory on the forehead and said, "Go get 'em kiddo." 

"I'll try." 

Lorelai left, leaving Rory to fill in half a dozen papers but finished them early so she got out her copy of _ Pride and Prejudice_. The staunch looking woman, which Rory now knows coincidentally as Mrs._ Gray_, took her papers and told her to go to second period. 

Rory walked to her class, one hand holding the book and the other holding her now cold coffee. She turned the corner about to take a sip from her coffee, when suddenly a Chiltonite came out from nowhere and collided with Rory's coffee, which splattered all over his navy blue blazer. Rory was shocked and reflexively, she started to wipe the guy's blazer with the pages of her book.

"Rats! I'm so sorry. I'm really sorry. I didn't see you--"

Rory looked up to his face and noticed how _hot_ he was with his tousled blonde hair and ocean blue eyes, but that soon changed when words were uttered from his mouth. 

"Look at what you've done to my shirt!" he cried. 

"I said I was sorry. It wasn't only my fault you know." 

"Oh _really_, if you watched where you were going this could've been avoided." 

"Don't worry, I'm sure_ daddy_ can buy you a new shirt." 

"You know what? Just stay away from me!" 

With that, the guy headed towards the opposite direction while Rory was left standing in her original spot, unable to comprehend that she had just made an enemy in her first few hours in Chilton. 

She quickly recollected herself and headed towards her class. Then she realised she didn't know where she was going and got her timetable out of her bag. She walked around aimlessly when she bumped into a petite student with long sandy blonde hair. 

"Who are you?" asked the student standoffishly. 

"Oh I'm sorry. I'm Rory. Who are you? 

When she didn't reply another blonde behind her said, "I'm Louise, you must be the new girl." 

A brunette butted in and chirpily said, "I'm Madeline." 

Rory smiled at them and asked the long haired girl again, "So who are you?" 

"Someone who you're going to have to look out for."

The girl then turned on her heel, with Louise close in toe. Rory's eyes followed their departure not realizing that Madeline was still in front of her. 

"Her name is Paris and don't mind her, she's like that with everyone." 

"Oh..." Rory said, unable to think of anything else. 

"...really?" she added to herself, aware Madeline was already gone.

Rory then went to her Modern History class that just happened to be the same room the others went in. When she got in class, she could feel Paris' eyes glaring at her. She grimaced at thought that she would be in the same class as her for the rest of the year.

* * * 

Rory left her history class relieved and walked calmly to her locker when another potential collision was about to occur between her and the 'pissy' guy. Luckily she looked up in time to prevent it from happening. 

"Not you again," said Mr. Pissy. 

"Like I'd_ try_ to bump into _you_." 

"Well thanks for the_ kind _ words but I need to get to my locker." 

"Ha ha funny, Mr. Pissy has a sense of humor." 

They then stamped off in the same direction when Rory suddenly noticed he was walking right next to her. 

"What are you doing? Are you following me or something?" she asked crossly. 

"Don't flatter yourself." 

"Then what the hell are you doing?" 

"I'm heading to my locker." 

"Well so am I!" Rory added. 

"Like I asked." 

"OK…Well I'm here." 

"So am I." 

"_You've got to be kidding me_." 

"Guess not _neighbour_."

"Ugh! Let's make a deal. I'll keep out of your way if you'll keep out of mine," proposed Rory, irritated immensely by the stranger. 

The guy let his hand out to seal the deal but Rory snapped, "As if I'll touch that." 

"Fine then, have it your way. You just lost your only chance to touch me." 

Ignoring the comment, Rory tried to open her locker but it was stuck. 

"Oh great!" 

"I'd like to stay and help but I gotta go. See you around Mary." 

She scrunched up her face in confusion. 

"Mary?"

* * * 

**End of Fourth Period**

Rory exited her fourth period classroom more angered than before. 

_How can so many bad thingshappen in just one day?_

She walked down the hallway when, for the first time that day, she saw her older sister, and what do you know, Liz was pushed up against the locker by her boyfriend, the elusive TristanDuGrey. Elizabeth took a breath from what was clearly a long make out session and spotted Rory looking at them in disbelief. 

"Hey Rory," Liz said in between her boyfriend's neck kisses. 

"_Tristan_, stop it! Meet my sister." 

Tristan eager to get the pleasantries over and done with to continue making out with his girlfriend, turned around slowly and smirked, about to put on his DuGrey charm. 

"Hey--" Tristan cut himself off when he finally realized who Liz's sister was. 

Tristan and Rory were speechless until they both said simultaneously with anger and confusion in their voices, 

"You!" 

--chapter finis

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**Author's Note:** Don't expect Tristan and Rory to be in the same classes. Remember that Tristan is a senior which Rory is a still sophomore. Well anyway, we hope you enjoyed the Trory action we added. And if you have time, we'd appreciate constructive feedback. 

**Author's Note (Last time we swear!):** We're sorry to all the anonymous reviewers out there who couldn't review and give us their opinion. We didn't notice anything until we checked our settings again. Sorry again guys...

* * *

REVISED CHAPTER

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	3. All's Not What It Seems

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Disclaimer: We do not own Gilmore girls, nor do we intend to, but we do own any original characters

****

Rating: PG-13 though it might go as high as R in future chapters…

****

Feedback: We appreciate any constructive criticism you have to offer! 

****

Pairing: Trory & L/L or L/C

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Author's Pointless Note: Sorry about the long wait for this chapter. It was just that our conflicting schedules were causing us to abandon the fic for a little while. 

This chapter is going to answer some questions you might've had in the previous chapters such as how Luke and Lorelai know each other… We would like to warn you that this chapter is quite long but try sticking to it till the end =)

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Life's Endeavours

CHAPTER 3: All's Not What it Seems

"You!"

The unwavering glare that was being exchanged between the two dumbfounded teenagers was suddenly halted by the sound of Liz's bubbly voice,

"Do you guys know each other?" 

Taking their eyes away, they turn their attention to Liz. Rory looked tentatively to Tristan seeing if he was going to answer but the look on his face showed otherwise. She took it upon herself seeing that Tristan wasn't about to make an effort any time soon.

"Well- you see… it's like this," Rory stutters with eyes fixed on the ground suddenly finding it _very _interesting. 

There was another interruption but this time it wasn't a high pitched, _annoying_ voice that belonged to Rory's sister but more like a deep, masculine voice. Rory looks up to put a face to the voice and was pleasantly surprised to see who saved her from the lies that were about to escape her mouth. 

"Liz there's a 911 at the SGA meeting and since _you're _our leader I think it would be necessary for you to_actually _attend."

"Oh my gosh I totally forgot!" Liz exclaims and pulls Tristan along with her and he reluctantly goes but it wasn't without casting a glance over his shoulder to look at Liz's sister who was surprisingly looking back at him. He mutters under his breath, 

"No way, that can't be Liz's sister."

* * *

"No way, that can't be Liz's boyfriend." Rory murmurs to herself.

"What?"

"Oh hi! I never got a chance to thankyou there."

"Uh… no problem but what exactly did I do?"

"Long story."

"Well um… I'm Andy Carter," he says letting out his hand but Rory doesn't notice it so he immediately pulls his hand up to his hair, all in one swift movement as if it was his original intention. 

"Ooh I'm Rory Hayden."

"You're Liz Hayden's sister?"

"Yup, the one and only."

"Hmm… you look nothing like her."

"Oh thanks," Rory says sarcastically.

"No, I didn't mean you were ugly or anything. You're actually quite the opposite."

Rory blushes at his directed compliment.

"Well, I really need to get somewhere now so I guess I'll see you around some time."

"Oh, where are you going?"

"Just the library."

"Do you mind if I join you?"

"Ummm… don't you have to be at a SGA meeting right now?"

"Technically yes. But I'll use any excuse to get out."

"Oh it's _that _fun, is it?"

"Well it's just about a group of selected students who go on meetings claiming they are making the school a better place."

"So _basically _you'rethe elite, the popular, the _chosen_ ones, the-"

"Alright alright, I get your point."

"Don't you want to contribute to making the school a better place," Rory says mockingly.

"No it doesn't really matter to me," he says in all honesty

****

" I can just _feel_ you're enthusiasm"

"Well it's not like the guys are listened to anyway. The girls just go on and on and on about the silliest things. Like our last meeting we had to choose between switching our Coca Cola machines to a Pepsi one. I, for one, don't really care. Seriously what's the difference? They taste the same anyway!"

Rory looked at Andy intently throughout his little rant and had a newfound respect for him. He was different compared to Liz's so- called friends and she liked that. After looking at him that whole time, she realised that he beared an uncanny resemblance to, what's his name again? Josh Hartman… err… Josh Hartford… _oh that's definitely not right_! Oh that's it, Josh Hartnett,- in a blazer of course !

Liz's magazines do come in handy after all. 

* * *

****

Chilton Hallway

"This better be important Liz." Tristan declares

"Isn't it always important?"

Tristan rolls his eyes, careful so Liz doesn't see.

"Oh I forgot! Before we got carried away at the locker, I was meant to tell you that you're invited to dinner tonight."

"When were you going tell me about this?"

"Well, you know now. I think it's about time you met my parents, well only my mom cause dad is always away." Liz was saddened at the thought of her father but brightens up before entering the meeting. Tristan reaches out for Liz's hand and says,

"I'll be there in a minute. I just need a breather."

Liz nods her agreement and closes the door behind her.

Tristan backs up against a wall and before he could think, out comes Summer from the door Liz came in. She seductively places both hands against the wall trapping Tristan's waist.

"Summer, what are you doing?"

"How about we sneak into the janitor's closet just like old times?"

"How about-" Tristan stops and pretends to think about it, "_No._"

"Geez, What's up your ass?"

"I have a girlfriend."

"Like that stopped you before."

"Look, Summer, I've changed."

And with that, Tristan walks into the room leaving an insulted Summer.

* * *

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SGA Meeting

Tristan walks in to find the guys slumped in their chairs, bored out of their minds and the girls arguing yet again about something, probably about the dance coming up in a few months.

"No it has to be pink."

"But it was pink tablecloths last year, I think it should be red!" Another girl butted in.

"Girls! Girls! Calm down." Liz orders, serious in the matter.

"How about we brainstorm all the colours that can be used."

"Alright, alright," the other girls agreed

Brittany, one of Liz's close friends suddenly exclaims,

"How about purple?"

"No turquoise!"

"Not turquoise! That sounds too turtle-ish. It'll make me wanna puke at the dance."

"Hush girls, oh and boys, I've got an idea."

The girls hold their breath waiting for her.

"I think it should be… _maroon_."

The girls look at Liz in amazement and start clapping joyously.

"Great idea, Liz. We knew you'd come through for us in the end."

This left the boys laughing at the stupidity of it all.

"What are you laughing at? It's not like you guys contributed to any of our debates."

"Maybe because any time we try to have a say in anything, you girls just cut us off," says Alex, another jock from the school.

"Ugh… That is so not true," Liz says in disbelief

****

"Oh yes it is -."

They were interrupted by Brittany again exclaiming, 

"I found the perfect dress on the way to school this morning!"

Liz turned her attention to Brittany and the girls went deep into conversation about potential dresses for the dance. Thus proving the point the guys tried to make previously. 

The guys were about to argue back but Tristan protests saying, "We'll never win."

The guys thought about it and knew he was right so they slumped into their seats and dwindled back into oblivion.

* * *

****

Meanwhile in the Independence Inn

"Well they do sound the same!" Jackson argues 

"So what am I supposed to do now? Give someone baked tomatoes when they ask for baked potatoes?"

"You are the best cook in Stars Hollow." 

"Don't patronize me!" says Sookie, half-flattered

The kitchen door bursts open with a half dead looking Lorelai coming through it.

"Guys I can hear you arguing from out there! Can you please turn it down a notch, or two or maybe just turn it off completely! I've got a major migraine and you two fighting like old grannies isn't making it any better."

"Gotta go." Says Jackson eager to get out before she can fire him.

"Oh babe, are you okay? I think what you need right now is a nice cup of coffee."

"I agree."

Sookie walks to the coffee pot to find it empty and quickly covers it up by saying,

"But what the hell? Have a day off! I mean you do own the place and all. I'll take things from here and I'll call you if anything happens."

"Cut the crap Sookie, I know there's no coffee back there but I can't blame you for trying. I'd be afraid of me if I were you."

"It's ok honey, just go to Luke's."

"Alright…," she reluctantly agrees, "I have been working hard lately." 

"Ok so I'll see you tomorrow. Everything will be exactly how you left it. Don't worry, just trust me."

* * *

****

Luke's Diner

Lorelai lifelessly walks into Luke's and sits down at her usual spot. She bangs her head, in frustration, on the counter unable to get rid of the constant pain. Luke ignores her momentary loss of insanity and casually asks, "The usual," knowing the answer already. Lorelai, head still faced down on the counter nods her head signalling her acceptance. Luke puts the coffee in front of her and she sips it with a content sigh. 

"You're birthday's coming up in 5 days. Not that I'm counting or anything." Lorelai says with her last ounce of energy

"What are you getting me?" Luke inquires.

"Secret."

"Meaning you haven't gotten me anything yet."

"I have so!" says Lorelai unconvincingly.

"Since we're talking about secrets now, you want me to let you in a little secret?" Luke says in his rare story-telling voice.

"Oh yes please" Lorelai says in a child-like tone ,suddenly regaining her energy**.**

"The secret is that I know about the secret about you-know-what for you-know-who."

"No way! You know about your surprise party?"

"Well Stars Hollow isn't exactly known for it's secret keeping skills," Luke jokingly says, "And neither are you."

"I can so keep a secret," Lorelai angrily says ,surprising not just herself but Luke too at her sudden change of emotions. Thoughts started to invade her mind saying,

__

'Shut Up Lorelai, leave before you say something your going to regret.'

She does just that -well the _leaving _part-but she makes one last comment, proving her mouth was obviously not listening,

****

"If only you knew Luke, if only you knew…"

* * *

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Flashback

Lorelai Gilmore… strong, brave and not afraid of anything. Well at least that's what she liked to believe. At 20 years old she had the whole world at her feet. She graduated from highschool in the top 3%, she was on civil terms with her parents, she had a wonderful boyfriend and a pink Cadillac - the car of her dreams, to top it all off. She smiles at her fortunes and gets out of her house to drive to her boyfriend Chris's house as it was their 5 year anniversary. She makes her way to her car and notices a multi-coloured flyer:

****

Stars Hollow Extravaganza!

Come to Stars Hollow for it's annual festivities and learn of more of this little town in Connecticut.

Come strangers! Come neighbours! Come troubadours! Come all!

See you all there!

Lorelai gets into her car, flyer still in hand and wonders, 

"How did this get here?"

She gets into the car, squashes the flyer in the glove box and sets off to Chris's house. 

* * *

She reaches the house and was about to knock but was stopped midway by an ecstatic Chris opening the door saying,

"I've got a surprise for you."

Lorelai raises her eyebrow and gives him a questioning look but before words could escape her mouth, Chris pulls her in and covers her eyes with his hands.

"Chris, what are you doing?" 

"You'll see." He says mysteriously.

"Chris-"

Lorelai's protest was cut short with the release of Chris' hand from her eyes. Her eyes slowly opened and was met with a beautifully candlelit room, decorated with pictures and ornaments of their relationship. She was amazed at the effort and planning Chris had to go through to pull this off. Chris, as nervous as hell, was waiting for her to respond but didn't have to wait long for she turned to face him with a wide-eyed smile.

"Chris this is beautiful," Lorelai utters in disbelief.

He takes a step closer, now only a few inches away from Lorelai, and seemed to be leaning in to kiss her but instead he leaned to her ear and whispers, "Look up."

Lorelai does as she was told and as if she thought she couldn't get more surprised by the events of the evening, SHE WAS DEAD WRONG. She gaped at words formed by the rose petals miraculously held up on the ceiling:

MARRY ME

She slowly starts to back away from him as the ideal of what she thought of herself was shattered when she realised for the first time in her life, she was afraid… afraid of commitment…

Lorelai shakes her head and softly says with hurt and regret in her voice, 

"I can't."

With that, she runs out not catching Chris's plea,

"Lorelai wait!"

* * *

Meanwhile, Lorelai was frantic in her car, hands trembling as she was trying to back out of the driveway. She stops at the lights and took that as her chance to find tissues to wipe her tears that was streaming down her face. She rummages through her glove box and found the scrunched up Star's Hallow flyer. 

'This is just what I need….**'** she says to herself, '…and hopefully it would take my mind off things**.'**

She manages a smile through her stricken face and makes a left turn, heading off to Stars Hallow…..

* * *

She reaches the packed town and asks the cheerful redhead at a nearby cake stall,

"Do you know a good place for coffee around here?"

"Ummm… Just right there." She points to a hardware store.

"Errr... Sorry I said coffee not hardware."

"No trust me honey, it's a coffee shop."

"I'll take your word for that. Thankyou"

Lorelai heads off to "Williams Hardware". She came into an empty diner, with a young man in flannel sitting alone behind the counter, reading a newspaper. He looks up and sees Lorelai's devastated state and hears her nervously say,

"So I heard you had good coffee here."

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah I'm fine. I just had a bad day."

She backtracks and says, 

" Wait, I'm not ok! I just turned down a proposal of the man I love."

She didn't know why she had the compelling feeling to tell a complete stranger her story but somehow the way he listened and the way he looked at her made the weirdness of it all disappear.

Little did she know that from that moment on, things would never be the same….

* * *

****

Gilmore Residence

"Liz, open the door!" Rory yells for the tenth time, "I need my chemistry text!"

Still no answer.

"Liz if you don't come out I'm telling Mom about Tristan before you do!" 

__

One

Two

Three

And Liz being the predictable person she is, she opens the door only allowing her face to peek through, red faced and nearly in tears.

"Oh, Liz what happened to your hair?"

"My hair straightener just burnt my hair," Liz says in a teary voice.

She grabs a heap of hair and whimpers, "Look at this! This is what a late model straightener can do to your hair!"

"Errr… you just got that a month ago."

Liz closes the door but only moments later she popped her head back through the door and says with a sickly smile on her face, "Rory… please don't tell mom. I'll tell her about Tristan coming for dinner after I'm ready and beautiful."

"Tristan's coming to dinner?" Lorelai interrupts out of the blue.

"Where'd you come from?"

****

"Out of hibernation. So back to this Tristan thing. When were you planning to tell me about this? A minute before he arrives?"

"Well… uhhh… Now you know," Liz says under a nervous laugh

"Liz how many times have I told you- "

Lorelai was cut off with Rory saying, "Well… I'd like to stay and get involved but I need to get my chemistry text from your room, Liz."

Ding Dong

"Oh no that's him," Liz frantically says and slams her door shut, " Doesn't he know that 7 o'clock means 7:30!?"

"Obviously not", Rory mutters and heads off to her room deciding that she was never going to get her chemistry book back one any time soon.

"Hold on, where do you think your going?" Lorelai asks.

" Umm…to my room "

__

Ding Dong

"No your not! You're answering the door, "

"What?! You can do it yourself !," Rory exclaims.

" Ahem, _in this," _Lorelai counters, pointing at her current outfit which was pink pyjamas covered with white pigs.

" Oh. You are so right. You cant answer the door looking _like that,_' Rory says mockingly. She then heads towards the stairs, which in turn signalled her defeat from the conversation. 

" Thanks honey" Lorelai says in a sickeningly sweet voice. 

Rory stops mid step to cast a glare at her _mother_. Lorelai in response, sticks out her tongue.

__

Ding Dong Ding Dong Ding Dong

Rory rolls her eyes at Tristan's growing impatience and so when she reaches the door, she decides to make him suffer a little bit longer. She stands there waiting, but it wasn't too long until he was pressing the life out of the doorbell. She smiles and opens the door to see a very agitated Tristan standing at her doorstep.

" Hello"

" Hello,"

An awkward silence falls upon them.

"Hello," Rory says, yet again, mentally slapping herself at her repeated greeting.

"So are you just going to stand there and stare at my face or are you going to let me in ?," Tristan says with an evil grin.

"Well actually, I was staring at that pimple on your nose"

"Pimple? What pimple ?," he asks sternly.

"Don't fret Fabio I was just kidding"

" I knew that," he unconvincingly said.

"Oh let the poor guy in," a differently attired Lorelai butts in, saving Tristan from further embarrassment.

" Why, thank you Mrs Hayden"

"Your making me sound like an old lady. Call me _Lorelai_."

" Oh but I assure you, you don't look a day over 25"

Lorelai smiles at his exaggerated compliment and heads of towards the kitchen.

"Suck up," Rory taunts, once Lorelai was out of view.

"What did you just say ?"

" Ohhh…my"

"No, I specifically heard you say something else"

When Rory still wasn't answering, he decided to follow her gaze. He turns around to see Liz coming down the stairs wearing a gown that had a remarkable resemblance to the one Julia Roberts wore at the Oscars.

'Ohh…my,' he repeats in disbelief.

Liz stares at Rory and Tristan, both in denim jeans and casual tops. She quickly glances at what _she_ was wearing and then runs straight to her room.

Tristan turns back around to meet Rory's steady smile, -which was just dying to burst into laughter-, and starts to smile himself. Their 'moment' was suddenly broken with an announcement from Eleanor saying,

"Dinner is ready"

* * *

"Where is she ?," asks Lorelai to no-one in particular.

Rory and Tristan, both sitting opposite of each other, staring at their empty plates quietly for they too are waiting for Liz; the girl who was supposed to be the hostess for the evening.

"Well this evening has started out just fine," Rory comments, hoping to start a conversation.

"Yes, things are just peachy don't you think ? Now if only a certain party would arrive- _oh,_ speak of the devil, _hi _Liz nice of you to grace us with your presence," Lorelai says all in one breath.

'Hi,' Liz says nervously, taking a seat besides Rory. "I'm sorry, I just had to make a small change.

Rory scoffed her disagreement at the use of the word 'small'. It was more like a _considerable _she thought as she glanced at her sister who was now wearing 'normal' clothes.

"Oh well you're here now so lets eat!,' Lorelai hurriedly says, signalling the maids to bring in the food.

'Thank God,' Tristan whispers, low enough for Lorelai and Liz not to hear. But Rory heard it just fine. She smiles at him, genuinely, and before he could catch her looking at him, she digs into the food set before her.

* * * 

It was 20 minutes into the dinner when Rory realised that Tristan was constantly fidgeting and looking increasingly uncomfortable. She concluded that it was probably just because he was nervous of the whole 'meet-the-parents' situation, though she couldn't tell _why_ because so far the conversations have been very pleasant and for her, _very _informative.

Like for instance, she found out that he had a younger sister and he was also the president of the school Amnesty association. Not that she _cared _or anything.

Finishing her meal, Rory felt she was still hungry so she reached to the right where the bowl filled with bread was situated. In doing so, her elbow grazed her fork causing it to plummet to the ground. Sighing, Rory then decides to pick up her fork but she had no energy to actually get up so she swings her chair to the right but in the process she loses her balance and falls cheek –first onto floor.

__

' How embarrassing, ' Rory thought, as she lay on the floor helpless. But her moment of self-helplessness was interrupted at the sight that was before her. She finally saw the _real_ reason Tristan was uncomfortable.

Liz's _foot _was lounging dangerously close to a certain part of his anatomy, which explained his constant fidgeting. Rory then quickly tries to get up before anyone else could witness this bizarre showing of emotions. 

But it was too late.

"You-hoo, honey, are you OK down- _oh my goodness_ LIZ! Get your foot away from there!," Lorelai cried.

Rory gets up in time to see a very red-faced Tristan and Liz, trying to avoid the fiery gaze that Lorelai was sending the two. The room went silent as the people in it were waiting for her to speak. Lorelai said _nothing _and the room stayed quiet for a few minutes more.

"So… Tristan…… What college are you planning on going too?,'"Rory says, desperate for a way to rid the awkward silence that filled the room.

"I'm, ummm, planning on going to Harvard," he replies, looking at Lorelai as if seeking for her approval.

"That's a really good school. Rory's planning on going there," Lorelai says as Tristan visibly relaxed at her civil tone. 'Speaking of colleges, which one are _you_ planning on going to Liz ?' Lorelai innocently asks.

"Hmm…whichever one Tristan goes to, which of course, is Harvard," Liz replies cheerfully.

" What? You can't think for yourself Liz ?," Lorelai asks incredulously, as she got up from her seat , dishes in hand, and heads for the kitchen.

"Mom !," Liz cries as she too gets up and follows her mother.

That left Rory and Tristan, making them the only people remaining in the dining room. Realising that they were alone, they both tried to think of something to say.

"So…" they began at the same time. This caused Rory to smile and insist,

"You first"

"Well I just want to thank you for breaking the ice back there. I don't think I could've taken your mom hating me on our first meeting."

"It's alright,'" Rory replies, surprised that Tristan was actually _thanking _her.

" Look I know we didn't exactly hit it off, but seeing as your Liz's sister and I guess, I'm her boyfriend, maybe we could at least try to be on civil terms for her sake."

Rory thought about it and realised that he was right. It wouldn't hurt to at least _try_ to be friends with the guy.

" So…What do you say ? Friends ?,' he asks, outstretching his hand for her to shake.

Rory just looks at his hand and smiles, remembering that just a few hours ago, she had blatantly refused it. 

But not this time.

She reached over and placed her hand in his. From the moment she touched his hand and saw his face turn from innocent into mischievous, she knew a witty comment was going to escape his mouth.

"I always knew you wanted to touch me.' 

Rory sighed. She was right after all.

Author's Answers: Well hello again. Thanks for all your reviews and this note is here to clarify a few things. Oh btw, thanks to _Roxy _from the _forums4fans _board for the SGA information. 

Kater you get challenges at trory addiction at _www.blue-roses.net/trory_. 

klm111a we would like to remind you that this is an AU [alternate universe] fic. Tristan is older because it was a requirement in the challenge and we had no choice in the matter. Also, they went to Stars Hollow because Lorelai is Luke's best friend. The town was planning a surprise party for him and Lorelai just attended the meeting. We hope that clears things up for you. 

Andy At the moment were not matching up the episodes but _maybe _in the future we might : )


	4. Unexpected Surprise

**Disclaimer: We do not own Gilmore girls, nor do we intend to, but we do own any original characters**

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**Rating: PG-13 though it might go as high as R in future chapters…**

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**Feedback: We appreciate any constructive criticism you have to offer! **

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**Pairing: Trory & L/L **

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**Author's Pointless Note: There will be a fair amount of L/L this chapter but bear with us as this is needed to understand future chapters and is an essential part of the plot.**

_________________________________________________________________

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**Life's Endeavours**

**CHAPTER 4: Unexpected Surprise**

_Beep Beep Beep_

The startling sound coming from Tristan's pager interrupted the usual proceedings of the class. 

"Tristan you know the rules," lectures the teacher, pulling out a handbook from her drawer, "if you turn to page 7, it specifically says that any form of telecommunications is unallowable during class time."

Tristan feigned a smile and in his best manners excused himself from the room. 

"I'm sorry but it's my father," he effortlessly lied. "…and since he probably funds the chairs we are sitting on, I think I'll go make the call."

He left the room without a further remark from the teacher.

* * *

Chilton Hallway 

"I'm so glad you could get past this so called animosity you had for me before," said a relieved Rory, walking down the hallway with an unusually calm Paris.

"Well, _technically, I'm running for SGA next year and I realised if I actually __want to win this - which I undoubtedly do, then I'm going to have to be on friendly terms with everyone, including newbies like you," said Paris in a rather dismissive tone. _

Rory, not knowing whether to be offended or not, was about to voice her opinion but instead she put it off her mind knowing if she did, she would've lost her chance of getting a position in the school paper. 

"So Paris, I've been meaning to ask you about that _vacant position in The Franklin. If I gave you some of my work, do you think you'd consider me for it?" asks Rory._

But before Paris could answer, they both heard a vicious giggle coming from behind them. 

They both turned around to find Liz.

"Rory, what are you doing with the likes of Paris? You don't want to go getting a bad reputation this early, now do you?" she harshly retorted, much to the amusement of her clique.

With Paris unable to think of a comeback to Liz's remark, Rory defended her saying,

"Back off Liz. Don't mock people who _actually have brains."_

With a disgusted look on her face, Liz shoves past them both without another word.

"So anyway," Rory said averting her attention back to Paris, "What do you think?"

"I had that perfectly under control. I didn't need _you to stand up for me." Paris angrily says, stamping off in another direction, leaving a startled Rory, glued to her spot, utterly speechless. _

Meanwhile, on the other side of the hallway was Tristan, on his way to the payphone as he had left his cell in his car. Tristan picked up the phone and began to dial the number. 

_Bring Bring Bring_

"Tristan? This is you right? Well I'm glad you finally rang back. Listen, I'm busy this afternoon so plans are going to have to change. You'll have to pick Julia up from school today. This is the last time so _please just don't make a fuss about this."_

At the mention of his half-sister, he suddenly felt a wave of sympathy towards her because it was probably the billionth time her mother had been _too busy to pick her up at that school that Rachel had insisted in sending her too. Apparently it was where she grew up…_

The sound of the voiceless dial tone was all Tristan heard after his stepmother's request, leaving him unable to get a word in. This was so typical of Rachel. Always preoccupied with everything; everything of course, other than her own family. Tristan chose not to dwell on something that can't be changed so he hung up the phone.

Brrrrrrrringgg! 

The shrill sound of the bell interrupted Tristan's thoughts. 

Intent on going to next period, he turns his head around to see a confused Rory and decides to head towards her but before he could, a hand tightly grasped his shoulder, forcing him to turn back around.

"Hey Dugrey! What's up?" Andy asked noticing his distant composure, "What are you staring at dude?"

Embarrassed that he got caught looking at his girlfriend's sister, he desperately rummages through his brain to conjure up an excuse.

"Oh I know," Andy playfully said, answering his own question-- much to the relief of Tristan, "You were staring at Liz"

Confused, Tristan looks back in the previous direction and notices Liz just a few feet behind Rory, gossiping among her many friends. 

"Oh…That's right… I was looking at _Liz…" he says trying to conceal the truth from his friend._

"Well anyway, I was just about to tell you…" Andy was interrupted when he too spotted Rory on her way to class.

"Hey Rory!" Andy yells, signalling her to come join them.

"Hi…" Tristan says in a softer tone.

"Hi," Rory responds rather awkwardly, still unable to believe they were actually _friends._

"Ummm… Tristan, can you give me and Rory a few seconds? I just need to ask her something," Andy says, hoping he'd understand. Tristan quickly caught onto what he was implying and backed a few steps to lean against a locker, leaving them two alone.

"Well Rory," Andy continued, "If you're not busy tonight, I was just wondering if you'd like to go out for a burger with me, nothing flashy of course, just a casual, you know… _date."_

"Oh," Rory says, noticing a blush rising up Andy's cheeks as he struggled to get the words out.

Being a few feet away didn't dismiss the fact that Tristan could hear every word. At the mention of a date, Tristan averted his deliberate gaze at the ceiling and looked directly at them. He was surprised to see his look was reciprocated by his girlfriend's sister.

"Ummm…" Rory says, breaking away from her gaze at Tristan to look at Andy, 

"I'm sorry but I can't. I _honestly have to be somewhere tonight," Rory continued with a regretful smile._

Rory looked into Andy's eyes, and says "sorry" again and then began to walk off to next period, with Tristan and Andy watching her slowly walk away…

* * *

Stars Hollow: A Few Hours Later 

Rory steps off the bus previously reminiscing about her eventful day: she probably lost her chance of writing for The Franklin, she rejected a perfectly okay date with an okay guy and to top it all off, she couldn't understand why Tristan's intent gaze just stuck to her mind.

Rory rushed her way to Luke's remembering why she was there in the first place: to wish him a very happy birthday and to get ready at Lane's house for his "surprise" party later that night. 

She would've gone with her mom or Liz, but there was a hectic workload Lorelai said she _had to complete before she could even think about going. As for Liz, well, lets just say she wouldn't be caught dead at Star's Hallow. It just wasn't her __thing. To solve the situation, they both agreed to go their separate ways and only to meet when they were about to go home._

Rory pushed Luke's door and cheerfully cries out to him dressed in his usual flannel wear.

"Happy Birthday!" she says giving him a big bear hug. "Now give me some coffee."

"Not until you do me a small favour," he replies, holding the coffee container over his head.  "Can you see how full it is today? Well, I need you to go to Doose's and get me a few bags of flour."

"You're wish is my command but hey! Only because its you're birthday, you can't have me doing your groceries everyday," Rory replies playfully

"Thanks kiddo," he says gratefully as she heads out the door.

Rory walks down the pathway leading to Doose's concentrating on fulfilling her orders when suddenly, just as she was about to turn the corner, she collided on a male's chest.

She looked up to see a very familiar face.

"We really have a habit of doing this don't we?" says Tristan, who dropped the brown paper bag he was carrying onto the ground.

"What are you doing here?" she asks as she bends down to help him pick up what he dropped.

"Oh just getting a few things from my sister before she gets out of school. She goes to Stars Hollow Elementary? You know where that is?"

Rory picks up a particular item hidden amongst a bag full of lollies and asks curiously,

"These cigarettes are for her?"

Tristan laughs nervously and grabs it out of her hands. And yet again, there comes their common awkward silence. The two so-called friends stood there like strangers, both unable to think of what to say next.

"Look," Rory says, frustrated at the lack of communication between them, "We're supposed to be friends. I mean, we talked more when we were at each other's throats. If this is how we're going to be like as _friends then I'll take us being enemies any day."_

Tristan gave her a blank look and then got to his senses. He smiled mischievously, and puts a hand up to his heart, and in a mocking tone says,

"Awwwwww… I'm touched. You really want to talk to me _that much."_

Rory rolls her eyes and retorts with a slight push to his shoulder, "Oh just get over yourself."

"Well I will… the moment you get over me _yourself."_

Rory was at a loss for words.

"Out of comebacks are we?"

"No!" Rory snaps, "Just shut up DuGrey!"

A tense silence filled the air as Rory's previously frowning lips twitched into a smile. With that, they both fell into simultaneous fit of laughter.

**"Well I hate to break our moment but I have to get some flour for my friend. We're having a surprise party for him tonight and if you don't have anything else to do..." Rory trails off, thinking what she's about to say would sound daggy with the likes of 'cool' Tristan, "then you're welcome to go," she finishes off hesitantly. **

"I have to get going anyway to pick up my sister," Tristan replies, "But yeah, I'll run it down with my family and if they want to go then I guess I'll be there."

"Great," Rory replied cooly, disguising the fact that the prospect of going just got a lot more exciting.

"Great," Tristan echoed with a smile. 

***

Tristan waits patiently for Rachel to pick up her cell.

"Hello" Rachel answers.

"Hey. I've dropped Julia off at home so you don't have to call to see if I forgot. Oh and I'm not going to be home tonight. Just letting you know just in case you send out a search party for me, not that you actually will, but like I said, just in case."

"Oh Tristan, you act as if I don't care." Rachel responded in a tone that made her seem hurt, "Where are you going to be anyway?"

Tristan was surprised she cared enough to ask but replied anyway, "At a birthday party in Stars Hollow."

"Oh really now," says Rachel, with thoughts now circulating her mind.

***

Hayden Mansion 

Lorelai had lied.

She didn't have any work to do that could stop her from going to Luke's Party.

The only thing that was holding her back was her regretful actions a few days before.

_"Stars Hollow isn't exactly known for it's secret keeping skills," Luke jokingly says, "And neither are you."_

She couldn't believe that she got angry at that one small remark. But as he said those words, oblivious to the little truth that it held, it caused such a spark that she ended leaving abruptly and mysteriously adding,

"If only you knew Luke, if only you knew…" 

She literally kicked herself when she got home. It was then that she had the sense to think about what she just said because in actual truth, she _didn't want him to know._

Because if he did, then the family she had worked so hard to keep together, would be rocked by the startling revelation. A revelation that could result in her children realising that what they grew up believing was a lie…

"What am I still doing here?" Lorelai whispers to herself as she sat down on the couch staring at the dull vision of the living room walls. " I should be out there, celebrating my best friend's birthday."

She abruptly got up from where she is and stamps to the other side of the room to grab her keys and hurry towards Luke's party. With one glance at herself in the mirror, she makes her way to the door only to find someone she didn't expect to see, opening the door before her.

"Chris!" she cried, halting from her tracks, "What are you doing here?"

*           *           *

If Lorelai was shocked at the sight of seeing Christopher standing in the house that he had frequently abandoned then the reason why he was actually there was bound to surprise her even more.

The two strangers, brought together only by the union of marriage sat quietly around the kitchen table each waiting for the other to break the uncomfortable silence that filled the room. 

"I'm here to ask you for a divorce," Chris finally says, looking directly at his wife to see her reaction.

Lorelai didn't flinch at all but instead she stared back at him levelling his intent gaze. 

"_Why?_" 

"You know very well why," Chris countered bitterly, "I don't see how being oblivious would help to solve our situation Lorelai. You and I both know that this marriage has been dead for a very long time."

Lorelai unexpectedly got up to pour herself another cup of coffee hoping that it would somehow calm her angry nerves. 

"Have you no consideration for people other than yourself?" she said hiding the obvious contempt in her voice. "I mean have you thought about your children and how they're going to react?"

"Of course I have," he cried, "They're the only reason why this marriage has lasted for as long as it has. Do you actually think that my idea for divorce just popped up yesterday without a previous notion."

Lorelai sniffed, "I wouldn't be surprised."

"Look," Chris said placing the item he retrieved from his briefcase onto the table, "Just sign these. _Please_ don't make it harder than it already is."

Lorelai took one glance at the divorce papers then drank the rest of her coffee in one big gulp.

"I have no time for this." She hastily said, making a grab for her keys once again.

"Make sure to say goodbye to the kids" was the last comment that she made before she walked out the door, felling an unmistakeable sense of relief take over her.

*           *           * Luke's Party 

The florescent lights hanging across the whole town illuminated the already star-studded night sky. Tristan arrived to Stars Hollow, beside someone he obviously didn't want to be with. Rachel always had a full and busy schedule and it puzzled Tristan that she even bothered to attend a small town party for someone she didn't even know. 

"So Rachel," Tristan questions, "You know it's not to late to turn back home. You can take the car and I'll just find my own way back."

"Oh don't be silly Tristan," Rachel answers, "I've already gotten here, what's the point of going back?"

"Oh alright then," Tristan adds, "I'm going to find my friend now. Are you ok by yourself?"

"Yes Tristan," says Rachel in a rather annoyed tone, "I _am_ a grown woman."

With that, Tristan turns away from her and begins to search for Rory but not without rolling his eyes at Rachel's condescending nature. 

The place was crowded and Tristan wondered if he would ever find Rory in all this. But just as he was about to give up, he spotted a brunette in a casual top and a faded denim skirt, meandering around as if she was also in search of someone.

"Rory!" Tristan yells, loud enough for the whole town to hear. 

Rory turned around, to see everyone's eyes fixed on Tristan. She instantly grabbed his arm and pushed him away to a private place.

"Tristan! How did I know you'd make a loud entrance? Such a typical attention seeker," Rory uttered not noticing that she was still holding his arm.

"I think I'll get _this_ back," Tristan joked, taking his arm away from Rory's grip.

"Oh… ummm… sorry… I didn't notice," says Rory, blushing and averting her eyes away.

"Well, anyway, I saw you searching for someone back there," Tristan said, so to end her obvious embarrassment, "You weren't looking for _me_ were you?"

Tristan smiled, half-hoping it was him she was looking for.

"As a matter of fact, Mr. I-think-the-world-revolves-around-me, I was looking for my best friend, Lane."

"What?" Tristan said, putting on a fake frown, "I thought _I _was your best friend?!"

"Tristan," Rory uttered, marvelling at his constant mockery, "Can you ever be serious?"

"Rory, you should know by now that I'm never serious," Tristan replied, knowing how serious he could actually be, especially when it 

comes to Julia's safety.

"Ugh! I'll be leaving now," said Rory, quickly walking off in the other direction, knowing that Tristan was sure to follow her.

"Wait! Rory wait!" Tristan said right on the dot, to Rory's amusement, "You can't exactly leave me in this strange town? What happens if I get kidnapped?"

"You baby!" Rory teases, laughing at his infantile behaviour, "You just better not bug me the whole night!"

Rory looked away from Tristan's puppy dog eyes to see Lane, in her ridiculous band uniform, on her way to them.

"Hey Rory!" Lane smiled, eyes on Tristan, "Who's your friend here?"

Tristan then held out his hand and shook Lane's quite courteously, causing Rory and Lane to think he was quite the gentleman. 

"I'm Tristan, Tristan DuGrey. You must be Lane?"

"Yup, that's me. The one and only. Well not the only one in the world, because I'm sure there's more Lane's out there but yeah it's safe for me to say the only Lane in this town. Other than lanes that you walk through of course." she talked in nonsense, mentally kicking herself at her stupidity.

"Oh by the way Rory, I can't hang out with you tonight," Lane said apologetically, "The marching band needed me after all. Sorry. I guess I'll just see you guys later."

Tristan cockily smiled and nudged Rory on the shoulder, as Lane walked away from them, "I guess it's just _you_ and _me_ tonight ay?"

***

Luke's Diner 

After much wandering and searching, Rachel walked into the diner knowing that the guy she was looking for was bound to be there 

The guy she left behind almost 19 years ago.

The guy who broke her heart.

         But just about everyone in Star's Hallow would've perceived it differently. She would be seen as the cold, selfish bitch that left Luke in pursuit of her photography career. But boy, were they wrong. 

        Rachel tried to forget the events that occurred on that day, _many years ago but it was with this frequent denial and avoiding the truth that has troubled her for quite a long time. She was like a restless soul, unable to free herself and fully be happy until she finally knew the truth. And the only way to get it was to ask the man that was situated in front of her, hunched over a miniature tv, watching a random game of baseball._

"Luke."

He turned around, surprised that he wasn't the only person in the room but it didn't come close to the surprise he felt when he saw who it was.

"Rachel?" he asked in disbelief, cautiously walking his way over to her with a smile forming on his lips. It soon disappeared and halted his tracks when he remembered how she left him without even saying goodbye.

"What do you want?" he then asked rather coldly.

"The truth," she replied in the same tone while taking a step closer to make up for the step he took back.

"We _both know the truth. Heck, the whole town knows it too! You left me without a reason then I find you on the photography credits in National Geographic magazine. It's pretty obvious what happened there but what I just don't__ get is __why you left. __Why you never even bothered to say goodbye."_

       Rachel took a swift intake of breath feeling as if in a few moments time that a huge weight would be lifted off her shoulders. It was now or never.

"I saw you in bed with another woman"

"What?!" he cried incredulously, "With who?"

     As if on cue, the door to his diner burst open and in walked a flustered Lorelai, catching her breath so she could voice an apology for her apparent tardiness. 

Rachel took one look at her; the 19 years did nothing to prevent her from realising who she was.

"With _her.__"  _

***

**Yet Another Author's Note: Hey again… We are sorry for the length of this chapter, we felt as if we owed it to people who liked our fic… Well, the next chapter isn't likely to be as long as this one so don't fret. We're also going to try harder to update earlier than ****6 months!! [our yearlies are coming up so we're not sure if its possible BUT we do have ideas for other fics] And by the way, good on ya if you didn't have to read back to the other chaps to understand this one *****winks* –Liz on behalf of Mystic Roses. =)**


	5. Truths Left Unspoken

**Disclaimer:** We do not own Gilmore Girls, nor do we intend to, but we do own any original characters. 

**Rating:** PG-13 though it might go as high as R in future chapters… 

**Feedback:** We appreciate any constructive criticism you have to offer! 

**Pairing:** Trory & Java Junkie 

**Author's Note:** It seems like Kay and I repeatedly desert this fic and we are truly sorry for that. It's like our seemingly never-ending 'busy-ness' (or should I say laziness) is always preventing us from putting pen to paper. Anyway, we'll _try_ to update sooner than the 10 or so months it took us to update this, however we make no promises. -Liz (on behalf of _mystic roses_) 

* * * *

**Life's Endeavours**

**Chapter 5: Truths Left Unspoken**

The instant Lorelai saw the woman's finger pointed in her direction and Luke's uncharacteristically stunned expression, she instinctively dashed out the diner door and ran as if her life depended on it, random thoughts violently circulating in her mind.

_Why do I have the peculiar feeling like I've seen that woman before?_

_Why did Luke bear such a strong resemblance to a deer caught in headlights?_

But above all... _Why the hell am I running away?_

Today wasn't how Lorelai planned at all. It felt like a "gang-up-on-Lorelai-day"; like the whole world had joined forces with the mission of making her life a living hell. And boy, were they succeeding. First with Chris' abrupt file for divorce and _now_ the strange incident at Luke's that she was running away from.

Lorelai was in such a hurry to get to her car, she didn't realise she ran straight past her youngest daughter leaning on a familiar blonde's shoulder, both sound asleep on the public bench.

* * *

A cool breeze blew through Rory's chocolate brown hair, rousing her from her snug slumber. She softly yawned and scanned the area before her. It was Stars Hollow. She knew she couldn't possibly be there so her half-awake self concluded it was yet another one of her weird Stars Hollow dreams.

All of a sudden, a warm figure wriggled beside her and she turned to see the source. Panic rose fiercely in her eyes as soon as she realized it was none other than... _Tristan!_

Without further thought of the pickle she got herself into, she gently shook his shoulder and whispered, 

"Pssst. Tristan. Wake up. Wake up."

Tristan stirred in his spot as he heard a soft voice whisper in his ear. When he opened his eyes to find Rory before him, he slowly smiled at her,

"Hey there, Sleeping Beauty."

Rory grinned at Tristan's remark, quickly quipping, "I distinctly remember the _prince_ waking sleeping beauty. Not the other way around."

Tristan chuckled to himself, "Now that you've mentioned it, didn't the prince _kiss_ sleeping beauty?"

Tristan play-seductively moved in closer to Rory, not actually intending to kiss her, but poor Rory assumed he was serious and gently pushed him back with her free hand.

"Look _Prince Charming_, it was a joke!"

_Mission #1: Get home! Get sleep! Tristan's wit is seriously warped at night._

"If you say so, Ror," Tristan joked, "But it didn't seem like it from where I'm standing."

Rory rolled her eyes, "Dude, I've got two things to say to you. One: you're not actually standing, you're _sitting_, so that comment you've just made isn't even close to being valid. Sometimes Tris, it's so damn obvious you're a blonde," she suppressed her rising smile, "And secondly, next we are definitely going to have to practise far more interesting conversation. The one we had earlier put us both to sleep."

And with that she turned and walked away from the bench, but stopped midway,

"One more thing. I'm going home."

* * *

**Days Later**

Tristan DuGrey stepped out of his black Jaguar and casually made his way to the massive front porch of the Hayden Mansion. Thoughtlessly, he rang the doorbell, faintly hearing the melodic chimes echo through the house.

No one answered.

He repeated his action, unknowingly aggravating the only person in the house. Suddenly the door was forcefully flung open by a flustered Rory in her pink bathrobe and a matching towel wrapped loosely around her head. Initially, a tight smile was plastered on her face, but upon the sight of the unexpected guest it softened into something genuine.

"Hi," Rory initiated. 

"Hi."

"Hi."

There was a momentary pause. Then in unison they blurted, 

"Hey haven't we done this before?" Both recalling the exact same greeting the previous time Tristan was over.*

A pause descended upon them once again, leaving their eyes to wander around the porch. The male's eyes drifted to the female standing directly before him, noticing the fact that all she was wearing was a bathrobe and towel.

"Oh Rory if this is the way you dress greeting all your guests, I should come here more often," Tristan smirked, attempting to break the uneasy silence.

Immediately, Rory hid behind the broad oak door, using the structure as a shield.

"And on that rude note... _Bye _Tristan," she retorted, and tried to close the door behind her, but with a hand, Tristan kept the door ajar. 

"Look, Ror, I'm here for another reason other than seeing your after-shower look," he smiled, "I'm actually here to see Liz."

"Pity, she left an hour ago to pick out a frock for next month's dance. And as we both know, she probably wouldn't be back til the break of dawn. Better luck tomorrow," Rory quickly said as she shut the door, noticing the disappointed expression on Tristan's face.

Guilt consumed Rory, having her reopen the door to see Tristan already making his way back to his Jaguar.

"Umm... maybe Liz'll be back in a couple of hours," she amended in a voice audible enough for him to hear, "And if you _really_ want to, you could wait for her here." The words were out of Rory's before she had the chance to think.

Tristan turned around to see Rory's head popped out of the side of the door. He placed his hands in his pockets and silently contemplated the suggested idea, considering the fact that Liz was getting suspicious about his outing with Rory at Stars Hollow. But then again, he didn't exactly have anything better to do.

"Sure why not?"

* * *

**One Hour Later**

A solid wooden racket flew forcefully across the ping pong table, aimed directly at Tristan's groin. 

"Fuuuck!" Tristan yelped at the pain of impact, "Rory, what the hell was that for?"

"Ummm... Does 'I swear Ror, even _Liz_ would be more of a challenge' ring a bell?" Rory smiled evilly, not the slightest bit remorseful at hitting Tristan's vulnerables.

"Fine! But that doesn't exactly warrant the most excruciating pain known to man," Tristan managed to say through his agony. 

"You go the 'known to man' part right." 

Tristan flashed her another of his trademark smirks, "Dirty girl."

* * *

**Rory's Bedroom**

After the unlikely pair tired of ping pong, the both collapsed on the sofa in Rory's room, more drained on account of their squabbles rather than physical exertion.

"Tris, do you wanna watch a movie?" Rory asked out of nowhere.

"What do you have in mind?"

"Oh something I bet you'll all _enjoy_," Rory lifted her eyes suggestively.

She made her way to the DVD rack, leaving Tristan to meander around her room. He found a comfortable spot on her bed and picked up a framed photo on her bedside table. It was a photo of both Liz and Rory, both still toddlers, smiling the cheesiest grins he'd ever seen.

Rory returned with the particular DVD in hand, immediately seeing the item in Tristan's hands.

"You know you look nothing like Liz," Tristan pointed out.

"Yeah I know. We get that a lot. There had to have been a mix up at the hospital," she kidded, "I might be a princess and not even know it. You never know. Happened to that chick in _Princess Diaries_ didn't it?"

Tristan shot Rory a sceptical look.

"Speaking of Princess Diaries..." Rory grinned wickedly.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding."

* * *

**Two Hours Later**

The credits ran on Rory's large plasma screen. Tristan smiled. He actually enjoyed the movie as Rory presumed earlier, though he'd never let her know. Not in a million years. His cocked his head to the right, without twisting the rest of his body, to see Rory snooze softly beside him. He should've known she was asleep. She hadn't spoken a word in the last half hour and considering their usual conversations, that was very unusual.

"She's 90% caffeine yet she can still sleep through anything," Tristan sighed.

Tristan smiled at her innocent state and grabbed her sunflower-covered quilt to tuck her in tightly, gently kissing her on the forehead. He cringed the second his lip made contact with her forehead.

_Why did I do that for? I mean, she's _only_ my girlfriend's kid sister..._

Not wanting to think of it further, he made his way to the entrance. He figured Liz wouldn't show up in a while so he decided to go home and call her later that day. 

Just as his hand reached to twist the doorknob, he heard the door unlock itself. The door then opened completely and Tristan found Liz standing there carrying around eight shopping bags, most probably filled with eight designer outfits.

"Oh, Tristan. What are you doing here?"

Thanks to elanor tinuviel for editing this chap! :o)

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! That's it. That's Chap 5. Once again sorry for the wait. Oh and revisions will be made on all the early chapters. Just spelling and grammar changes, but more may be changed if necessary (for plot purposes).

*The scene were Rory and Tristan repeated the "hi" is from Chap 3 (Except it was "hello" then). Just a bit of trivia. :o)


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